


The Voice Next Door

by TwistedRocketPower



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Friendship, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-01-07 23:12:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12242496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedRocketPower/pseuds/TwistedRocketPower
Summary: Three days, five questions. The Keeper doesn't like wrong answers.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't like any of my other fics. I just wanted to do something spooky for Halloween. This should be about 10 chapters, updated throughout the month. 
> 
> Sorry if this is similar to any horror movies out there. I never watch them, so I wouldn't know.
> 
> Let me know what you think!
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques

Pain. That’s all he felt. A pounding pain in his head that didn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.

He lifted his arms up, resting his hands against his forehead. He hoped the pressure would relieve the ache, but right now it wasn’t doing a damn thing.

He groaned, turning his head from side to side, trying to crack his neck. Anything to get a little bit of relief.

It took him a minute to realize the ground beneath him felt cold. Cold and hard, and nothing like the bed he was used to falling asleep in. 

His whole body was cold, which was odd considering he always turned the heat on before bed. 

He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times before the world around him came into focus.

And that’s when he realized he was most definitely not in his room, or in his flat, or anywhere that he’d ever been before.

Concrete walls surrounded him on three sides, with the fourth being a cell door, like he was in some sort of prison. Beyond the cell door was a small hallway, the walls all concrete, and what appeared to be a steel door at the very end. 

He sat up quickly, causing his head to pound even worse. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears.

He didn’t focus on that though. He stood up, hurrying over to the cell door and grabbing it to try and open it.

It took him less than a second to realize that was a mistake when the bar he grabbed a hold of shocked him so bad he couldn’t help but yell.

“Fuck!” He screamed, nearly jumping back from the door, shaking his hands to try and get rid of the pain. “Fucking shit!”

“Hello,” a voice sounded, seemingly out of nowhere. “I see you are awake, finally. I’ve been waiting for quite some time.”

“Who… Wh- What…” His voice was shaking so bad he couldn’t even get a sentence out.

“Don’t worry, Daniel. Everything will become clear over time.” The voice was calm. So, so calm. It would almost be soothing if it weren’t for the fact that it was terrifying.

“Wh- What do you mean?” Dan managed to ask.

“Let me introduce myself first. I am The Keeper, to you at least,” he said. “And we’re going to play a game.”

Dan kept looking all around the room, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. “What the fuck is this?” He asked, both angry and terrified at the same time.

“If you will shut up for a goddamn second, I’ll tell you,” The Keeper replied, more demanding than he had been previously. He cleared his throat, quickly returning to his calm demeanor. “We’re going to play a game. It’s a simple question and answer game. Much like trivia night at the local pub, if you will. However, getting a question wrong comes with a price.”

“What price?”

“You’re not here alone, Daniel. You’ll be answering questions for someone else. You get a question right, nothing will happen to them. You get a question wrong… well,  _ something _ will happen. If you get five questions right over the next three days, you both live. If not, then you get to choose. Your life or theirs. It’s all very simple, really.”

Dan clenched his hands into fists, trying to stop them from shaking. His breathing was becoming more rapid, but he was scared to show any fear. “I d- I don’t understand,” he said, cursing at himself internally for stuttering.

“Yes, you do. I’ll leave you two to get acquainted. I’ll be back later though. Goodbye, Daniel.”

“Wait!” Dan yelled, stepping closer to the bars. He almost grabbed onto one before remembering he’d get shocked.

“H- Hello?” A voice spoke suddenly. Dan looked around, before realizing they were speaking through an intercom somewhere. “Hello? Is… Is anyone there?” The voice was softer than the one before it. He sounded scared too. Terrified, really.

“I, um, I’m here,” Dan replied. “Are you the other person? The one that man was talking about?”

“The Keeper?” The voice clarified. 

“Yeah.”

“Yeah. I- I think so. Who are you?”

“My name’s Dan Howell. Who are you?”

“I’m Phil. Phil Lester.”


	2. Chapter 2

Dan’s shaking. He isn’t sure when that started, but he’s shaking now and he can’t stop.

“Are you okay?” The man- Phil- asked Dan.

“Am I- Am I _okay_?” Dan asked, wondering if he misheard the question. “No, I’m not fucking okay! I’m trapped in some fucking cell by some fucking lunatic!” He yelled, reaching for the cell bars again. As he tried to force the bars back, they shocked him again, causing him to jerk away in pain. “Fucking fuck!”

“There’s no use,” Phil said. He was so calm, so reserved.

“How long have you been here?” Dan asked, clenching his hands tightly. Now they weren’t only shaking from fear, but from being shocked as well.

“Long enough to know you won’t get out.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Do you have windows in your cell?” Phil asked.

Dan looked around and, sure enough, there wasn’t a single window. “No.”

“Me either. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. A couple of days, at least.”

“How the fuck are you so calm?” Dan asked, his chest heaving. He could feel his anxiety getting worse.

“If I yell, he shocks me. So I stopped yelling.”

“How… How does he do that?”

“I have a collar on.”

Oh yeah, Dan’s anxiety was definitely getting worse. He was nearing a panic attack now.

“He put a sh- shock collar on you?” Dan asked.

“Yeah. He didn’t you?”

“N- No.”

“Oh… Lucky.”

Dan held a hand up over his heart, as if that would somehow help calm him down. “I- I can’t-”

“Is your room setup like mine? Little bed in the back corner, and a bucket against the side wall?”

Dan looked around again and it was as Phil described.

“Yes,” he answered, trying to even out his breathing.

“The bucket is for using the bathroom, by the way.”

Nope, Dan was not calming down at all now. His vision was beginning to blur, and he felt extremely dizzy. He couldn’t focus on any thoughts and his entire body was sweating. “I- Phil, I can’t… I can’t-”

“What? Dan, what’s the matter?” Phil asked, his voice changing from calm to concerned.

“I c- can’t br- breathe,” Dan managed to gasp out.

“O- Okay, um, go to the bed. Go sit down.”

His legs were so shaky that he was sure he was going to fall, but somehow he made it to the bed.

“Are you sitting?” Phil asked.

“Y- Yeah.”

“Alright. Close your eyes and just listen to me breathe. Try to match it.”

Phil began taking deep, slow breaths through his mouth, making sure it was loud enough for Dan to hear.

“You hear me?” He asked.

“Mhm.”

“Okay, keep breathing.”

He was nearly hyperventilating at first but, eventually, his breaths began to even out.

“Where are you from?” Phil asked after a couple of minutes.

“I live i-in London,” Dan replied.

“Me too. I grew up in Rossendale though.”

“I grew up in Reading.”

“I hear it’s lovely there.”

“No, you didn’t,” Dan replied with an eye roll. “No one ever hears that about Reading.”

“Just trying to be nice.”

Dan rubbed his sweaty palms onto his pants, then stood back up on shaky legs. “I need to get out of here, Phil. I don’t… I don’t even know why I’m here.”

“I don’t know why I’m here either,” Phil replied. “But I don’t think we’ll be getting out anytime soon.”

“Has he said anything to you?” Dan asked as he moved closer to the cell door. He wasn’t going to touch it, he had learned that lesson, but moving closer toward his only exit made him feel a bit more free.

“He told me to be patient. He told me to shut up a few times. I was… I was yelling a lot, so he put the collar on.” Phil cleared his throat, “He brought me a bottle of water. He wore a mask and his outfit was all black. I’ve drank about half the bottle now, but I’m trying to drink it slow. I don’t- I don’t know how long I’ve been here.”

Dan thought for a moment. “It’s Wednesday,” he said, feeling stupid for not telling Phil before. “At least, the last thing I remember is getting off of work on Wednesday.”

“Wednesday,” Phil repeated. “I was taken on Monday. I’ve been here at least two days then. God, it feels like longer.”

Dan couldn’t get rid of the dread he felt in his stomach. Even though he was able to breathe normal again, his heart was still racing. He always had a fear of the unknown, and this wasn’t helping things at all.

“Phil, I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s been terrible meeting you,” Dan said. He knew it wasn’t the best thing to say at a moment like this, but he couldn’t help himself. He always got snappy and sarcastic in stressful situations, and this situation was the most stressful one he’d ever been in.

“It’s been terrible meeting you too,” Phil agreed.

“I hope you two have gotten acquainted,” The Keeper’s voice returned.

“Who even are you?” Dan asked, desperation in his voice. “What the hell do you want?”

“It’s my turn to ask a question, Daniel. Not yours. Consider this question a trial run, so you know how to play the game in the future. I assure you, this question counts, Daniel. However, future questions will be much more difficult.”

Dan took a deep breath. “What is it?”

“This will be a simple mathematical question. What’s twelve times twelve?”

Dan felt like an idiot for actually having to think about the answer. It’s not like the stress he was under was any help to him during this time. “Um, it’s… it’s-”

“Oh, Daniel, if you can’t get this, then there’s no hope for either you or Philip.”

“Just let me think!” Dan exclaimed. “It’s 144!”

The Keeper laughed. “Very good, Daniel. See, that wasn’t so hard. And you’ve saved Philip some pain as well.”

“What the fuck is the matter with you?” Dan asked, a wave of anger coming over him. “Did I fail a math exam once and you’re out for revenge?”

“No! Stop it! Stop it!” Phil yelled suddenly. “Please, stop!”

Dan moved closer to the cell door, his eyes widening. “What are you doing to him?!”

“Don’t sass me, Daniel,” The Keeper said. “Philip pays for your sins.”

“What did you do?” Dan asked again.

“He just… He just sh- shocked me,” Phil answered, sounding weak.

“You’re a sick motherfucker!” Dan yelled.

The Keeper began to laugh again. “Oh, Daniel, you have no idea. I’ll see you boys again later. You have four more questions to go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments! Y'all are the best! 
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	3. Chapter 3

“Are you okay?” Dan asked once The Keeper had left.

Phil cleared his throat, and Dan could hear him taking slow, deep breaths. “It h- hurts when he does that,” he replied.

“I’m so sorry,” Dan said. “I didn’t know he’d do that. I didn’t think-”

“It’s okay,” Phil interrupted. “N- Not the first time he’s done it to me.”

“But it was my fault.”

“No, it’s h- him.”

“Are you okay though?” Dan asked again. “You’re talking funny.”

“T- Takes a while to stop… to stop shaking. He t- turns it up high.”

“Fuck. I’d offer to help, but…”

Phil managed to huff out a small laugh. “You’re a b- bit trapped at the moment.”

“Seems that way.”

They were both quiet for a couple of minutes. Dan was still trying to take in the situation, and he was sure Phil needed to catch his breath.

“Dan?” Phil finally spoke, his voice sounding a little more relaxed now.

“Yeah?”

“Why are we here?” He asked. 

Dan shook his head. “I don’t know. Kinda hoping you would.”

“Sorry.”

“Not you who should apologize.”

Phil managed to let out a small laugh. “At least we’re in agreement about one thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everything is his fault, whoever he is.”

“Oh… yeah.”

“So,” Phil cleared his throat. “Uh, what do you do?”

Dan walked over to the tiny bed in the back of the room and sat down. “We don’t have to talk,” he said, leaning back against the wall.

“Oh… Okay, yeah, that’s fine.”

Dan sighed. “I’m a guidance counselor for a university in London.”

“Really? What university?”

“Th- The University of London,” Dan replied, feeling stupid for not just saying that in the first place. “What do you do?”

“I’m in editing. Commercials, mostly, for local businesses.”

“Sounds fun,” Dan said, no enthusiasm in his voice.

“Yeah,” Phil agreed, his tone matching Dan’s.

“This is quite possibly the worst conversation I’ve ever had,” Dan said, running his hands through his hair.

“Probably because we’re trapped in prison like cells by some lunatic who wants to kill us.”

Dan took a deep breath. “Yeah, that just might do it.”

“Do you believe in God?” Phil asked.

“Are you a priest on the side?”

“No. Just wondering.”

“No, I don’t. You?”

“No.”

“No offense, Phil,” Dan said, curling his feet up closer to his chest, “but these are the worst conversation topics of all time. It like we’re stuck next to each other in line at the DVLA.”

“Well, do you have better conversation starters?” 

Dan thought for a moment. “You haven’t, by any chance, done a late night Wikipedia search on how to escape electrified prison cells, have you?”

Phil let out another small laugh. “Can’t say I have, no. Is that how you deal with bad situations?”

“What?”

“Humor and sarcasm. You seem to have quite a bit of it.”

“I suppose it’s either that or I have continuous panic attacks until I die from lack of oxygen.”

“We’ll stick with the humor and sarcasm then.”

Dan looked around his cell, which felt like it was getting smaller all the time. “If there’s even a point.”

“What’s that?” Phil asked.

“I just… What’s the point of living now if I’m going to die anyway?”

“You don’t know we’re going to die,” Phil said, his voice suddenly becoming firmer. “He said he might let us go.”

“You really think that’s true?”

“Yes,” Phil answered quickly. “Yes, I do. I- I have to.”

“I don’t know.”

“I do!” Phil responded. Dan couldn’t help but notice that he sounded almost desperate now. “You’ll answer the questions, you’ll get them right, and we’ll get out of here. Both of us.”

“Okay, okay,” Dan said, more to calm Phil down than anything else. “We’ll get out.”

 

They talked for what felt like hours. It was never about anything important. Just pointless conversations to keep them distracted from facing reality.

“Phil?” Dan said eventually, his eyes becoming heavy. No matter how much he had been trying to fight sleep, he was about to lose the battle.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really tired.”

“I am too,” Phil replied. To Dan, it sounded like he was yawning as he said it.

“Have yo- Have you just been staying awake because of me?”

“Didn’t want to leave you,” Phil replied. “Didn’t seem right.”

“You don’t have to do that. You need your rest. Especially after what he did to you earlier.”

“You really should stop worrying about that. I’m fine now. It only hurts for a little while.”

“Well, you can sleep now,” Dan said, lying down on the bed. Even though he feared closing his eyes, the exhaustion was quickly winning, forcing them shut even though he tried to keep them open. “I will too.”

“Alright. Let me know when you wake up, okay?”

“I don’t want to wake you up though.”

“Just say my name. If I’m asleep, I won’t hear it.”

“Okay,” Dan replied, blinking one last time before shutting his eyes for good. “I’ll let you know.”

 

Dan did not come out of his sleep peacefully. He was forced out of it by the sound of a door screeching open.

He jumped up quickly, his head pounding from moving so fast. 

A man walked in. He was wearing a black, longsleeve shirt, black pants, black shoes, black gloves, and a mask over his head. 

Dan’s heart was pounding. He stayed back toward the wall, trying not to have a panic attack. 

_ Deep breaths. Deep breaths. _

The man stared at Dan through the cell door. The only thing Dan could see was his piercing, green eyes. No matter how much Dan wanted to look away, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He felt paralyzed.

The man, who Dan presumed was The Keeper, didn’t speak. He tossed a water bottle through the cell. It landed with a thump in front of Dan’s feet.

The man was turning around to leave when Dan finally found his voice. “Who are you?” He asked. “What do you want?”

No answer. The Keeper opened up the door and Dan moved closer to the front of the cell. “Are you fucking deaf?!” He yelled, a sudden surge of anger running through him. “I said what the fuck do you want?!”

The Keeper never turned around. He left the room, the door shutting with a loud thud behind him. 

“What do you want from us?!” Dan continued to shout into the empty room. He felt so hot, like his blood was boiling. “Answer me, you bitch! What do you want?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm much later with this chapter than I anticipated. Sorry about that! Hope you enjoyed though :)
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	4. Chapter 4

“Wh- What happened?” Phil asked as Dan continued to scream. “D- Dan! Dan, listen to me!”

Finally, Dan stopped yelling.

“What happened?” Phil asked again.

“He brought me water,” Dan said, slightly out of breath.

“Oh… Is that it?”

“I j- I just got angry.” Dan picked up the water bottle and tossed it on his bed, sitting down beside it. “Did I wake you?”

“The screams scared me,” Phil said.

“Sorry.”

“No need. I get it.”

Dan rubbed at his eyes as he yawned. “I wonder how long we slept.”

“That’s what I hate the most about this place,” Phil replied. “No concept of time at all.”

“You’ve got a shock collar on you and  _ that’s  _ what bothers you the most?”

“The pain from that fades eventually. Not knowing the time, or how long I’ve been here, feels like endless torture.”

“Guess that makes sense,” Dan said. He picked up the water bottle and twisted the cap off, taking a small sip. “I hate purified water,” he said, closing the bottle again. “You think, if I asked for spring water, he’d deliver?”

Phil let out a small laugh. “Yeah, why don’t you try that.”

“It’s question time, Daniel,” The Keeper spoke over the intercom, interrupting their conversation. “Are you ready?”

“Do I have a choice?” Dan asked, his heart beginning to race.

The Keeper laughed. “No, I suppose not. Daniel, this question is going to test your honesty. Please remember, I know the answer. If you lie, Philip suffers. Understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good. Daniel, why did you quit law school, lying to your family for nearly a year before revealing the truth?”

Dan’s heart was really racing now. How the fuck did he know something so personal?

“I, um, I wasn’t… I wasn’t happy,” he replied. That  _ was  _ the truth. “And I didn’t want to disappoint my family. I- I left school for a while, to figure stuff out, and then went back.”

The Keeper sighed. “Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. It’s a shame you find it so hard to be honest.”

Dan was confused. “I am being honest!” He exclaimed, his voice rising.

“You’re not telling the whole truth though. You should tell the whole truth.”

“Ah!” Phil yelled as a short, electrical shock was sent through his collar.

“Okay, okay!” Dan yelled. “After I got out of the hospital, I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. I quit school then, but I didn’t tell my family because I didn’t want them to find out about any of it, including the hospital. I went back once I knew I'd be able to handle it.”

“That’s much better, Daniel,” The Keeper said, his voice calm and collected. “Why were you in the hospital?”

“Does that count as another question?” Dan asked.

The Keeper laughed. “You’re very smart, Daniel, I’ll give you that. I’ll be back later for the next question.”

“Are you okay?” Dan asked Phil once The Keeper was gone.

“Yeah. Yeah, he barely did anything. It just, well, shocked me.”

“Are- Did you seriously make a pun about being electrocuted?”

“As long as I’m alive, I haven’t been electrocuted. But, yes, I did.”

Dan took a deep breath in, letting it out in a loud sigh. “You’re an odd one, Phil.”

“I get that a lot.”

They were quiet for a moment. Dan tried to ignore his growling stomach. Even though he felt hungry, he didn’t think he’d be able to handle eating right now. Not that that was even an option.

“Dan?” Phil said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think anyone is looking for us?”

Fuck, that was a heavy question. It was not what Dan was expecting at all.

“Uh, I don’t… I don’t know. I talk to my grandma once a week so, if she’s tried calling enough, maybe.”

“What about your parents?”

“I talk to them less than my grandma, but they call me sometimes. Maybe if my mum called, she might… she might think something’s wrong. I don’t answer the phone a lot though, so I don’t- I don’t know. What about you?”

Phil was silent for a couple of seconds. “I talk to my parents a lot. I think… I think they’d know something was wrong. Yeah, they’d call the police,” he said, sounding more sure by the end of his answer.

“That’s good,” Dan replied. “There’s someone looking.”

That’s what Dan could tell himself, at least, even if he didn’t really believe it.

 

They talked for a long time, possibly hours, but there was no way to tell.

They talked about their lives, their jobs, where they grew up, where they lived now. They found out they only lived ten minutes from one another, and often went to the same shops. 

They wondered if they had passed each other on the streets, or in a store, without ever knowing their paths would cross this way.

They talked until The Keeper came back, speaking into the intercom once again.

“Daniel, it’s time again.”

Dan felt like he already knew what the question would be.

“Okay,” he said, preparing his answer in his head.

“Tell me, Daniel. What’s the meaning of your life?”

That was not what Dan expected. Not at all. 

How was he supposed to answer this? No one knew the answer to that question. Everyone had guesses, but no one really knew.

“I- I don’t know,” he said.

“Daniel, I’d like you to know I’m in the room with Philip right now. Is that really your final answer?”

“I… I don’t-”

“Speak, Philip,” The Keeper said. “Let him know I’m here with you.”

“He- He’s in here, Dan,” Phil said. His voice was shaky. He sounded terrified.

“Nobody knows the answer to that!” Dan exclaimed. “I don’t know the meaning of life!”

“I didn’t ask the meaning of life. I asked the meaning of  _ your  _ life. Answer me!”

Dan couldn’t. He’d open his mouth, but nothing would come out. He wanted to answer. God, he wanted to! But he couldn’t.

“I’m sorry, Philip,” The Keeper said. “I have no choice.”

“No, pl-”

Phil was cut off by his own screaming. 

“Stop it!” Dan yelled, curling up on his bed. His knees were up close to his chest, and he used his hands to cover his ears. It barely muffled the sounds. 

He had no idea what Phil was going through, but it sounded so much worse than being shocked.

“I don’t know. I'm sorry! I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know,” Dan repeated to himself, hoping and praying the screaming would stop soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who was supposed to have far more chapters up by now?  
> Hint: Me!
> 
> I'm so sorry for the delays, guys! I'm gonna try and get the updates out more often for this fic. Thank you for the comments! I appreciate them so much.
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	5. Chapter 5

He didn’t know how long he sat like that, curled up on the bed with his hands covering his ears, his eyes shut tight as he tried to drown out the sounds of Phil screaming by talking to himself.

He felt like he was going crazy.

Maybe he was going crazy.

Maybe this was all a dream, or a figment of his imagination.

Maybe he was finally having that breakdown that he knew he was on the brink of for years now.

Maybe The Keeper was the bad part of his brain, and Phil was the good, and they were both fighting to take control.

If he could just wake up, or get his mind cleared.

If the voices would stop being so loud!

If his brain would stop calling out his name!

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Dan yelled.

“D- Dan? Dan, it’s me. I- It’s Phil.”

Dan froze. 

This wasn’t a dream. 

This wasn’t his imagination.

He slowly opened his eyes, realizing the screaming had stopped. Phil was speaking to him quietly, trying to get his attention. 

Dan wondered how long he’d been doing that.

“Dan, d- do you hear me?”

“I’m sorry.” It’s the only thing Dan could think to say.

“I th- thought we weren’t g- going to apologize anymore.”

“Can’t help it.” Dan stretched his legs out, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants. “Are you… What happened?”

“I’m f- fine. Not as bad as it… as it sounded.”

“It sounds like it’s hard for you to breathe,” Dan replied. “What did he do?”

“He was in here. He- He just hit me a little.”

Dan let out a sigh. “How much is a little?”

“B- Bloody nose, black eye, my- my ribs hurt some.”

“Oh God-”

“They’re not broken,” Phil quickly added. “Th- They’re not. It’s not that bad. Bruised, probably. I’m… I’m just shaky right now.”

“I’m such an idiot,” Dan said, shaking his head. He stood up and began pacing back and forth in the room, unable to stay still. “I fucking- I should’ve answered the damn question!”

“No one c- could answer that question. It was stupid.”

“What the fuck does it even mean?  _ ‘What’s the meaning of  _ your _ life?’ _ How the fuck am I supposed to know?!”

“You’re not. I think that w- was the point.”

“And who the fuck is he?! Why is asking personal questions? How does he know this shit?”

“I don’t know.”

Dan lifted his hand to his mouth, biting at his fingernails. “This is fucked up. I fucked up. I’m supposed to know the answers, but I didn’t. I’m supposed to keep you from getting hurt, but I can’t. I’m-”

“Would you sh- shut up for like a second?” Phil asked, his voice calm despite its shakiness.

“Why? Is something wrong? What’s happening?”

“I just- I wanted to tell you about how I fell into a puddle once.”

Dan paused, confused. “What?”

“I didn’t just step into the puddle, Dan. I full on f- fell into it. And this was only a y- year ago, I wasn’t a kid. Big puddle too. Deep.”

“Are you hallucinating?” Dan asked cautiously, moving closer to the front of the cell.

Phil laughed, although it was cut short by a gasp. “No. No, I’m not. The memory popped into my head. It’s a funny story.”

“What’s it got to do with anything?”

“My parents were visiting,” Phil said, ignoring Dan’s question. “And we wanted to go out to th- this ice cream shop before they left. It had been raining their entire trip, but we  _ had  _ to go. We put on rain coats and boots and everything and went out, and I thought it would be, like, a- a little puddle but it was huge. My leg went in it all the way to the knee, and I lost my balance, and just face planted into the road. I was covered in water and mud, scraped my arms up, broke my nose. I had to go to the hospital and everything.”

“That… That sounds terrible,” Dan replied, unsure of what else to say. 

“No, it really wasn’t that bad. My dad ended up going out and getting the ice cream to go and brought it to the hospital. It was both a good snack and a good ice pack alternative.”

“Phil, are you… Are you trying to get my mind off of things?”

Phil was silent for a moment. “Is it working?”

Dan rolled his eyes. “No, it’s not.”

“Well, are you still pacing the floor?”

“How’d you know I w-”

“The sound of your voice kept changing,” Phil explained. “Sounded like you were moving around a lot.”

“Oh… No, I’m not still pacing the floor,” Dan answered.

“Has your breathing regulated?” 

Again, Dan rolled his eyes. “Yes.”

“Alright then. I’ve also stopped shaking, so I guess my story  _ did  _ help us both.”

“Has anyone ever told you you’re a bit obnoxious?”

“My brother,” Phil answered. “Quite a lot, actually.”

“Well, he’s right,” Dan replied lightheartedly. 

“You’re just-” Phil cut himself off with a yawn. “You’re just mad my plan worked.”

Dan bit at his bottom lip. At another time, in another place, Dan would probably be laughing at Phil right now. He’d be thinking of a snarky comeback to win the conversation. 

He couldn't seem to do that right now.

“You sound tired,” he said instead.

“I’m okay.”

Dan sat back down on his bed, feeling slightly calmer for the time being. 

“Sleep,” he said, knowing Phil must be exhausted after all he’d been through. “I’ll be fine.”

It was a few seconds before Phil spoke. “You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Wake me if you need me.”

“I will.”

God, Phil was making things hard. 

Dan wished he was a jerk. Someone with no endearing qualities. Someone Dan wouldn’t feel any desire to protect.

But, he wasn’t that at all. He was a kind person who, even in his own worst moments, tried to help Dan feel better.

Dan wanted to keep him safe.

He wanted to make sure they both got out alive.

He feared that would be impossible to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, remember how this was supposed to be done by the end of October?
> 
> Oops!
> 
> Life kept me from being able to write this story as often as I'd like, especially because I have to be in a certain mood to write for it, but it will get finished! Let's just pretend it's still October until it's done ;)
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	6. Chapter 6

Time seemed to stand still in this place. It felt like days has already passed, maybe even weeks. 

Phil woke up from his sleep eventually. Dan had tried to get some rest, but he couldn’t. One of the things he was best at was sitting and doing nothing, but he couldn’t seem to keep his mind or body still no matter how hard he tried.

Of course, usually when he was sitting and doing nothing, he also had his laptop, or the TV on. Now there was  _ actually  _ nothing to do and he felt like he was going insane.

So, he had spent his time alone walking from one end of the cell to the other, back and forth, back and forth. 

After Phil woke up, The Keeper returned with another question. It was a riddle; something Dan couldn’t even remember after he had answered.

He had gotten it right though, saving Phil from more pain. 

“Why did that have nothing to do with me?” Dan asked once The Keeper had gone.

“What do you mean?”

“The question, it didn’t have to do with me. It was personal before, but it wasn’t this time.”

He heard Phil take a deep breath. “Maybe he’s trying to mess with your brain.”

Dan let out a humorless laugh. “I’d say he succeeded in that a long fucking time ago.”

Dan sat down on his bed, he and Phil falling into a comfortable- well, as comfortable as the situation allowed- silence. 

Dan thought for awhile, wondering how his life reached this point. How had he ended up here? Would anyone ever find him? Was his grandma worried? Were his parents a nervous wreck? Did his brother think he was dead?

It was all too much, so Dan found himself breaking the silence, wanting Phil to talk if only for his own benefit. 

“How are you feeling?” Dan asked, hoping Phil hadn’t fallen back asleep.

“Alright, I suppose. Ribs still hurt, and they’re really bruised now.”

“Are you sure they’re not broken?”

“I don’t think they are,” Phil replied. “I mean, I’m not a doctor, but… no, I don’t think they are.”

“Okay…” Dan sighed. “So, what are you thinking about?”

There was a pause. “Honestly?”

“Yes, please.”

“I was thinking about burritos… and pizza.”

“God, that sounds fucking amazing right now.”

“I want to eat them together. Like, dump the burrito on top of the pizza and consume it all at once.”

“Can you order double and let me have one too, please?” Dan asked, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. Images of food flooded through his brain.

“You like weird food mixtures too?” Phil asked. “People are usually disgusted by my eating habits.”

“Oh, I often order Thai and burgers on the same night and make this Thai burger thing that shouldn’t make sense but somehow does and  _ fuck  _ I’m hungry.”

“The first thing we should do when we get out of here is eat.”

Dan couldn’t help but smile at Phil’s optimism. It was something he still couldn’t muster up for himself, but it was nice to have someone around who could be positive for them both. 

“So, like, we escape, but instead of going to the police, we go restaurant hopping?”

“Yeah. If we’re in London, we’ll stumble upon an officer soon enough anyway.”

“That’s true.”

“Or, the police would come and rescue us, and then when they ask what they could do for us-”

“We’d give them a list of food and get it all for free,” Dan finished.

“Exactly.”

“Sounds good. It’s a date.”

Dan didn’t realize what he had said until after it came out and, because he was met with silence, he could only assume he had offended Phil in some way. “S- Sorry,” he said, nervous at the thought of losing the only person he could talk to in this hellhole. “That was weird, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not weird,” Phil said quickly. “That would actually be a really good date. Not the whole having to be rescued thing, although that would be nice right now. I mean, the getting a bunch of different food and eating it. That sounds nice. I wouldn’t, um, I wouldn’t mind that.”

“You’re rambling,” Dan said with a smile. 

Phil groaned. “I can’t help it. I ramble when I’m hungry and when I’m nervous. I’m both of those things right now.”

Dan bit at his bottom lip. “Phil?”

“Yeah?”

“If, um,  _ when _ we get out of here, do you… do you think we’ll ever-” Dan paused, trying to think of how to ask the question. “Do you think we’ll ever be normal again?”

He was met with silence. When it neared a minute of no response, he thought maybe Phil hadn’t heard him. He went to ask again when Phil finally spoke.

“I don’t know. I- I hope so, but I don’t know.”

“If my therapist thought I was a piece of work before, he’s gonna need his own therapist after seeing me now.”

“I didn’t know you-”

“Question time, boys,” The Keeper said over the intercom.

“Already?” Dan asked, standing up quickly at the sound of his voice. 

“We have to keep with the schedule. Now, Daniel, what’s a secret that you think no one knows?”

Dan could hear his heart pounding in his ears. The phrasing of the question, it reminded him of something he had forgotten about. Something he had left behind years ago.

“I- I… There’s nothing,” he responded, his voice shaking. He knew it wasn’t believable. He also knew he couldn’t admit the truth.

“Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. I’m disappointed, honestly. I thought you’d care more about Philip by now.”

“I do,” Dan replied, trying to steady his voice. He did care about Phil, he really did, but he couldn’t admit it. It was too much.

“If you cared, you wouldn’t let me hurt him.”

“You don’t have to hurt him,” Dan pleaded, moving closer to the cell door. “You know the answer. I don’t need to tell you.”

“That doesn’t matter,” The Keeper responded angrily. “I  _ want  _ you to tell me.”

“I…” His voice trailed off as tears formed in his eyes. “I can’t,” he said weakly.

“That’s a shame.”

“It’s okay, Dan,” Phil spoke up. His voice was shaking too, possibly even worse than Dan’s. “It’s okay. Just cover your ears.”

“Wh- What’s he going to do?” Dan asked. He felt like his heart was going to explode. “Is he with you? What’s he doing?”

“Just cover your ears, Dan!” Phil exclaimed.

Dan hurried back to the bed, curling into the corner, covering his ears and closing his eyes, trying to block out the rest of the world.

If he wasn’t sure before, he knew now, there was no such thing as “normal” after this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to the update schedule I had for this fic, today is October 20th. Not long until Halloween, guys!
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with me and pretending it's still October! I love you all!
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler, but trigger warning: 
> 
> Mentions of past attempted suicide

When Dan woke up, he was lying on the floor. His entire body hurt, and it was hard to keep his eyes open.

He could faintly hear Phil calling his name, but he couldn’t bring himself to respond. His mouth would open, but the words wouldn’t come out.

After a couple of minutes, when he could hold his eyes open for longer than a few seconds, he slowly sat up.

A groan escaped him, causing Phil to stop saying his name for a second.

“Is that you?” Phil asked. “Dan?” He was shivering, Dan could hear it in his voice.

He opened his mouth, forcing himself to speak. “I- It’s me,” he said shakily.

He could hear Phil sigh in relief. “I thought you were dead,” he said.

“I- I don’t… What happened?”

“You tried to stop him,” Phil explained, his teeth chattering as he spoke. Dan knew he had to be in pain. “You tried to get out. Got shocked on the bars. I guess it kn- knocked you out.”

“I don’t r- remember that,” Dan said, looking around the room. He felt like he had woken up from a bad nap; a nap that left you feeling worse off than you were before.

“I think he broke my wrist,” Phil said. “It really, really hurts.”

Dan felt like a jerk for not asking about him sooner. “What all did he do to you?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does.”

“Dan, just… I’ll be fine, I think. It- God, it really hurts.”

“Take deep breaths, Phil. In through the nose, out through the mouth, okay? It’ll help.”

“Okay, Okay,” Phil replied before taking Dan’s advice.

Dan slowly stood up, swaying slightly before becoming stable.

He walked over to his bed and sat back down, feeling nauseous. 

“Any better?” Dan asked after giving Phil some time to breathe.

“Little bit,” Phil replied. “But, Dan?”

Yeah?”

“This is going to sound really unfair.”

“I think you have that right, Phil.”

“If you… If you can, please don’t get the next answer wrong,” he said, and Dan could hear the sorrow in his voice. Like he hated the words as he said them.

Dan’s heart sank. He closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the wall. “I’ll try my best, Phil. I promise I will.”

“I’m sorry,” Phil said. “I shouldn’t have… It just really hurts.”

“I know. It’s okay, Phil. I’ll get it right. I’ll make sure I get it right.”

 

“How are we doing?” The Keeper asked, his voice interrupting the silence Dan and Phil had let collect for some time now.

“What’s the question?” Dan asked.

“My, my, Daniel. Why the rush?”

“What’s the question?” Dan repeated.

The Keeper sighed. “You’re no fun. Straight to the question we go. Taking it back to a previously unanswered question: What’s a secret you think no one knows?”

Dan sat up straighter in the bed. He couldn’t stay silent this time. “I-”

“Now, remember,” The Keeper interrupted. “It needs to be your  _ biggest  _ secret. I’ll know if it’s not. I know everything, Daniel. Don’t forget that.”

“I- I was twenty,” Dan began, his voice shaking. He had never admitted to this outloud. Not to anyone. “I was at university, and I- I was… I had problems. I thought it would be easier if I were gone.” He bit at his bottom lip, trying to stop the tears from forming in his eyes. “A friend of mine was on medication, and I stole it one night. I went back to my room and I…” His voice trailed off.

“Keep going,” The Keeper said.

“Dan, you don’t have to,” Phil spoke up. “It’s okay.”

“Oh, how noble, Philip,” The Keeper replied. “Yes, Daniel, if you’d like to stop, I’d be more than happy to spend some more quality time with Philip.”

“No!” Dan exclaimed. “No! I’ll tell it.”

“As you wish.”

“I went back to my room and I took the pills. I got scared though. My heart… My heart was pounding, so I ran to the bathroom and I tried to throw them up. I ended up passing out,” A tear fell down Dan’s cheek, and he quickly wiped it away. “When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I never told my family. I never told anybody.”

“Very good, Daniel. I accept your answer.”

“Dan,” Phil said, his voice soft. “Dan, I’m so sorry. I didn’t... I never meant for you to have to relive that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Dan replied, wiping away more tears. 

“Do you want-”

“I’m going to sleep for a bit,” Dan said, lying down on his bed. He turned onto his side, closing his eyes tight, wishing the world would disappear.

 

When Dan woke up, he felt empty. 

The thing he was most ashamed of, the thing he had left behind years ago, telling himself he’d never speak of again, was now a continuous thought in his mind.

Sure, only two people heard him, but it might as well have been thousands of people standing around, staring at him, judging him. 

He turned over on his little bed to stare out the bleak cell door when he saw something on the floor. 

Something that hadn’t been there before.

He slowly got out of bed and walked over to it, bending down to see it was a white pill bottle. 

His heart pounding, he stood back up as he read the name of the medication.

It was the same medication he had used in university.

Attached to the bottle was a note, with only five words written on it:

_ You can end it here. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The world does not want me to finish this story!
> 
> If you don't have a tumblr, then here's what happened: I recently went to visit my grandma and help put up Christmas decorations. While there, a cement Christmas tree stand (about 30lbs with very sharp edges) fell out of the attic and directly onto my face. I had to go and get stitches, and I haven't really felt like writing lately. I'm slowly healing, and hoping all goes back to normal soon.
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for the comments! They're much appreciated.
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	8. Chapter 8

“Dan? Dan, are you awake?”

Dan didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, but Phil’s voice snapped him out of his daze. He realized then that he was shaking, the pills rattling around in the bottle.

“Is that you?” Phil asked, keeping his voice quiet.

“It’s me,” Dan replied simply.

“What’s that sound?” 

“Nothing,” Dan answered quickly. Too quickly.

“It’s obviously not nothing,” Phil said. “You know what it is or you would have said you didn’t know.”

“I know how he knows things about me,” Dan said, gripping the bottle tight in his hand.

“What do you mean?” Phil asked. “How?”

“After I,” he paused, clearing his throat. “After I tried to kill myself, I wrote on a blog for a bit. About a year, maybe. I- It was the only place I ever told my story. I stopped writing on it so long ago that I’d forgotten about it, but it’s the only way. I don’t think the page is even up anymore.”

“He’s been stalking you this long?” Phil asked. He sounded shocked.

“He had to have been.” 

Dan was shaking still. Not as bad as before, but enough for him to notice. He bit at his bottom lip as thoughts filled his head. Thoughts he didn’t want to have, but he was left with no choice now.

“Phil?”

“Yeah?”

“Who are you?”

Phil was silent for a moment. “What?”

“Who are you?” Dan repeated slowly.

“I- I’m Phil. Dan, what’s wrong?”

“Tell me who you are!” He yelled, anger filling his entire body.

“I’m Phil! Phil Lester.”

“What’s your job?”

“I edit commercials for local businesses. I told you this already, Dan. What’s wrong?”

“Where are you from?” Dan asked, ignoring Phil’s questions.

“Rossendale. Dan, please tell me what’s wrong!”

“What do you look like?”

“I- I have black hair, but it’s only black because I dye it. I have blue eyes, I’m 6’2, I currently have a broken arm, and I’m really confused right now!”

Dan was breathing short, hard breaths. Each second brought him closer to a panic attack. “Are… Are you him?” He asked, tears filling his eyes.

“Who?” Phil asked.

“Th- The Keeper. Are you really him?”

_ “What?!” _ Phil exclaimed. “No! No, I’m not. What’s happened, Dan? Why are you asking me this?”

Dan moved closer to the front of the cell. “I’ve never seen your face.”

“I’ve never seen yours either!”

“It would be the perfect cover. Pretending to be a victim, getting close to me, making me think I could trust you.”

“You  _ can  _ trust me, Dan! I swear I’m not him! He broke my damn arm!”

“But I don’t know that!” Dan yelled. He angrily wiped the tears from his cheeks. “I don’t really know if you’re who you say you are!”

“I don’t know that with you either,” Phil replied. “You could be The Keeper for all I know.”

“I’m  _ not  _ him,” Dan said, his voice filled with hatred.

“And I have to take your word on that because it’s all I can do, and you have to do the same.” Dan could hear Phil take a long, deep breath. “Please, Dan, you have to believe I’m not him. Please.”

Dan closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. A few more tears leaked from his eyes, but his breathing slowly returned to normal. “He left pills in my cell while I was asleep,” Dan admitted.

Phil paused. “He what?”

“The same exact pills I used when I tried to commit suicide all those years ago.”

“Don’t even think about it, Dan,” Phil said.

“I never said I was,” Dan replied.

“Your voice is the only one I’ve heard for the past few days, besides  _ his,  _ I know what you’re thinking. Don’t.”

“I could end it all right here though,” Dan said, looking down at the bottle. Tears clouded his vision again. “You’d be free. You’d see your family again.”

“No, I wouldn’t! You really think he’ll let me go, Dan? He won’t! He’ll just kill me. It’s pointless. You’d be leaving me here alone with him.”

“But he might let you go! You don’t know for sure.”

“If he let me live because you killed yourself then I’d never forgive myself. I… I care about you, Dan. I don’t- Please, don’t do this.”

“It’s not your decision though,” Dan replied, wiping his face with the back of his hand. “If I do it, I’ll be doing it for me. I’ve taken them before, I could do it again.”

“You don’t even know if they’re real, Dan. They could be fake. It’s just another trick. Another thing to mess with your mind. You don’t want to die, I know you don’t.”

Dan opened the bottle and placed a few of the pills in his hand. “They’re real,” he said, looking at the all too familiar pills. He’d never forget the color, shape, size, or anything else about them.

“Dan, please don’t do this. Please don’t leave me here. We’ll get out together. I promise, we’ll both live. You have to believe me. You’ll live and you’ll see your parents, and your brother, and your grandma. You like talking to your grandma, right? Think about her, Dan. Think about-”

“Just shut up!” Dan yelled, feeling overwhelmed. 

Phil fell silent and, finally, Dan was left alone to figure everything out.

He stared down at the pills in his hand, knowing how quickly this could all be over. Yeah, he’d be dead, but at least he wouldn’t be here. He wouldn’t be trapped in this cell. This would all probably end in his death anyway.

And Phil. Maybe Phil would be able to live. Maybe The Keeper truly would set him free. Maybe he’d get to have a life after this, and tell their story, and help other people. 

Or The Keeper would keep him here, alone. Torture him for as long as he wanted because Dan didn’t finish the game. 

Dan squeezed his eyes shut. It was all too much. He didn’t want to think about this anymore. He wasn’t that suicidal boy, he didn’t want his life to end this way. He wanted to live. He wanted to have a long life. 

That just didn’t seem possible anymore. 

He put the pills back into the bottle. 

The last time he did this, he took them straight from the bottle, like he was taking a sip of a drink.

He brought the bottle close to his mouth, his entire body shaking more than it did when he first woke up in this place.

He held the bottle tight as another wave of anger overcame him, and he found himself throwing the bottle out the cell door.

As it landed on the floor, some of the pills spilled out, but none of them were close enough for him to touch. 

“What was that?” Phil asked, panicked. “Dan, was that you?”

“I didn’t take them,” he replied, feeling empty inside once again. “I threw them out of the cell. I didn’t take them.”

“Oh, thank God! You did the right thing, Dan. You did.”

Dan walked over to the bed and sat down, leaning his back against the wall.

“He probably would have let you go,” Dan said, knowing The Keeper enjoyed his rules, enjoyed the game, and liked sticking to it.

“I know,” Phil admitted.

“He’ll probably kill us both now.”

He heard Phil let out a breath, and then a quiet reply. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Can't believe it's still October... Right, guys? Halloween really is coming up soon... I wonder what Spooky Week will bring... haha...
> 
> Also, thank you for your comments on here and tumblr! I look forward to reading them every time!
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	9. Chapter 9

More time passed. Another question was asked that, thankfully, Dan knew the answer to. He honestly couldn’t even remember what the question was afterward.

Everything was a bit more blurry now. The world around him didn’t seem as clear as it did earlier.

Any lingering hope from before was gone.

Right answers didn’t matter.

Wrong answers didn’t matter.

Well, wrong answers  _ did  _ matter, but only because wrong answers hurt Phil. And if Dan would never make it out of here, hell, even if Phil would never make it out of here, he didn’t want to be the cause of his suffering or pain.

“We have to be nearing the end,” Phil said, and Dan could tell that most of his hope was gone too. Something in the voice, something that had been there this whole time, was gone. “He said it would be three days. I know I’ve been here longer than you but it definitely feels like it’s been three days since you got here.”

“I’m sure we’re getting closer,” Dan agreed. He was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the bed, staring straight ahead.

The pills outside his cell door seemed to be staring straight back at him. 

He wished he could reach out and grab them. He wished he could change his mind and take the pills, get everything over with quick, stop the suffering from happening.

He couldn’t though. The electric cell wall stopped him from that. They stopped him from choosing how he died. They stopped him from having any power. They stopped him from getting to take away the one thing The Keeper wanted to do most: Kill him. 

But every time those thoughts creeped up in his mind, a little angel popped up on his shoulder telling him he did the right thing.

Every time he thought about asking The Keeper to put the pills back in his cell, he was reminded that Phil would be left alone, and no one deserves to suffer alone.

Because Dan had suffered alone before, and maybe he didn’t have to then, but he still did and it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare that he’d never wish on anyone else, and he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Phil to manage the rest of whatever the hell this was all alone.

“Do you think…” Phil’s voice trailed off. “Nevermind.”

“What?” Dan asked.

“I just… Do you think they’ll find us? Anyone? Even if we aren’t  _ here  _ anymore, I d- I don’t want my mum and dad to wonder where I am forever.”

“I don’t know,” Dan replied, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the bed. He didn’t want to think about his lifeless body being tossed around by his murderer.

He didn’t want to think about him being thrown in a ditch, or into a lake or river, or buried in the woods. 

He didn’t want to think of someone finding him, or never being found at all.

He didn’t want to think about whether or not he’d be in heaven or hell, or if there even was such a thing. 

Maybe he’d be in purgatory forever.

Or maybe there would be nothing. Maybe he’d just cease to exist.

He might come back as an animal, but that didn’t sound appealing to him. With his luck, he’d be a shrimp in the ocean and immediately get eaten.

And even if he wasn’t eaten right away, he wasn’t a big fan of the ocean so that idea sucked overall.

But he might just be a ghost. Maybe he’d haunt this place forever, freaking out anyone who ever entered the building.

He didn’t believe in ghosts, but no possibility was off the table right now.

He could be a fun ghost, tapping on kids shoulders and yelling “boo” at annoying teenagers. 

Although, it didn’t sound appealing to exist in the world when he couldn’t actually be a part of it. He’d never know what was going on, wouldn’t have his cell phone or computer, and he’d have to ask people to give him updates on what was happening with his favorite TV shows and bands.

He didn’t know anyone willing to stop and give updates to ghosts, so that was no longer a good option. 

He took a deep breath, remembering he was thinking about him being dead, and forced himself out of a panic attack.

Deep breath in… out… in… out… in… out.

“It’s time for your final question,” The Keeper said, interrupting Dan’s attempt to keep calm. “Are you ready?”

“What is it?” Dan asked, not bothering to get up from where he was sitting.

“This one is a riddle. Don’t worry, Daniel, I’m not trying to get into your head with this. Tell me, what is it that no man ever yet did see, which never was, but always is to be? You have ten seconds. Ten.”

Dan’s heart began to pound as he sat up straighter. He wasn’t even sure if he fully heard the question, and now he had ten seconds to answer.

“Nine.”

He knew he had heard this somewhere before.

“Eight.”

He was obsessed with riddles when he was younger.

“Seven.”

It was the perfect way to pass the time when he was lonely.

“Six.”

Even when he was a teenager he enjoyed going on “riddle binges” just to see how many he could get right.

“Five.”

And he knew this is one he had heard before. If the counting would just stop.

“Four.”

If he could just think in silence for a few seconds.

“Three.”

He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want Phil to die. He wanted to make it. 

“Two.”

He wanted them both to make it.

“One.”

They just needed to make it to- “Tomorrow!” Dan yelled, his eyes wide and chest heaving.

He was met with silence, and then, “You got it. Very good, Daniel,” The Keeper said.

Dan brought his knees up to his chest, placing his head in his hands. He didn’t know if he felt more relieved or worried. He got it. He got the question right. The final question, according to The Keeper.

“Unfortunately,” The Keeper added, grabbing Dan’s attention, “you got it after your ten seconds were up.”

“No,” Dan said in disbelief, standing up and moving closer to the cell door. “No, you can’t do this.” 

“Seeing as it was the final question, and we must stick to the rules, it’s time for you to choose,” The Keeper said, ignoring him. “Either you live, or Phil lives. I’ll give you twenty minutes to decide. Clock is ticking, Daniel. Don’t waste your time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking awhile to update! I was on a vacation with my family and we had very crappy wifi. 
> 
> Seeing as this is a Halloween fic, I can't believe this is only October 26th, right guys? Last chapter will be uploaded on Halloween. Spooky week is just beginning, right? Wow! Great time of year. 
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


	10. Chapter 10

“Dan, please say something,” Phil begged. Dan didn’t know how long he had been speaking, but that was the first thing he heard.

“I got it right though. I got it right,” Dan said in disbelief.

“Dan, you have to choose you. Please, I- I’ll be fine. I’m hurt. You can get out, you can run. I’d… I’d be too slow. You can find help. Please, choose you.”

“I’m not choosing anyone!” Dan exclaimed, backing away from the cell door. He sat down on his bed, bringing his knees up close to his chest. “I’m not… I got it right.”

“You know he plays by the rules. If you don’t choose, we’ll probably both die.”

“He c- He can’t make me do this.”

“Listen to me, Dan. I- I’ve had a good life, okay? My family and I, we’re good. I want you to have that. You deserve that. Please, just choose you. Please.”

Dan covered his hands over his ears, trying to drown out Phil’s voice.

Phil, the only person he’d spoken to in days.

Phil, the man he’d had so many conversations with he felt like he’d known him forever.

Phil, the only reason he was still alive right now. The only reason he was still breathing.

Phil, the man who kept him sane.

“Please, stop talking,” Dan said, closing his eyes. He could still hear Phil’s voice, even though it was muffled.

“We don’t have much time, Dan,” Phil said, speaking louder now. Speaking so Dan  _ had _ to listen.

Dan lowered his hands and opened his eyes. “What’s your favorite season, Phil?”

“Wh… What? Dan, what are you talking about?”

“Just tell me your favorite season.”

“We don’t have time for this, D-”

“Humor me, Phil!” Dan yelled, a surge of anger running through him. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself back down.

“Winter,” Phil answered.

“Why?” Dan asked.

“I- I like snow.”

“That’s the only reason?”

“I… I, um, I like wearing coats, and having the heat on in the flat, and drinking hot cocoa. I- I don’t understand why you’re asking me this.”

“Tell me your favorite thing to do when it snows,” Dan said.

“I like to put on my coat and go outside and walk around.”

Dan smiled, leaning his head back against the wall. “I like to do that too.”

“Dan, please tell me what this is about.”

“I like how people’s faces get all rosey and their noses are pink; it makes everyone look like elves.”

“Dan-”

“And drinking mulled wine. And sitting by a fire and writing in a notebook. You know what, Phil?”

“What?” Phil replied, his voice softer than before, like he’d given up on trying to understand.

“I think we could have been great friends. I think… I think I would have enjoyed winter with you.”

“I… Dan, I- I would enjoy that too.”

Dan nodded, then stood up. He moved toward the cell door. “I made my decision!” He yelled, knowing The Keeper would hear him.

“Dan,” Phil said, the words rushing out because he knew they wouldn’t have much time, “run as fast as you can, okay? Tell the first person you see what happened. Get the police here, remember your steps. Tell them everything. My parents are Nigel and Kathryn, but I think I told you that before. If you see them-”

“What’s your decision?” The Keeper said over the speaker, interrupting Phil.

“Let him go,” Dan replied calmly.

“Final decision?”

“Dan!” Phil exclaimed. “Dan, no! You can’t- I can’t go as fast. I told you, I’m hurt!”

“It’s my final decision,” Dan said.

“Okay,” The Keeper said.

Over the intercom, Dan could hear a clicking sound.

“What’s happening?” Dan asked.

“My… My door opened,” Phil replied.

“Go, Phil,” Dan told him.

“No!” Phil exclaimed. “No, I’m not leaving you!”

“Yes, you are! You’re going to get the hell out of here and run for your fucking life!”

“Dan-”

“It really was terrible meeting you, Phil,” Dan said, remembering one of his and Phil's first conversations.

“It… Dan, i- it was terrible meeting you too,” Phil replied, his voice shaking. 

“Now go. Please.”

“I’m gonna get help,” Phil promised. “I’m gonna find help and I’ll come back for you.”

“It’s okay, Phil,” Dan replied, feeling so much calmer than he expected in this moment. “It’s okay. Just go.”

Dan heard the sound of a door squeaking, and then he could hear someone running. The loud thud of feet shooting down a hall.

And then it was silent.

And he was alone.

Phil had left, and he was all alone.

It was that way for a few minutes, although it seemed like longer at the time.

Still, somehow, it wasn’t long enough.

Too soon, he heard someone walking.

These feet were heavier on the ground, more sure of every step.

And then the door opened, and The Keeper was in front of him, just outside the cell door.

Dan didn’t back away. 

He stood his ground as the cell door opened and The Keeper stepped inside.

He would fight. He didn’t know how, but he’d do whatever he could to live.

And if he didn’t live, well, at least Phil did.

 

“Come on. Open those eyes. I know you’re trying to.”

Dan slowly opened his eyes. He wondered for a brief moment if the woman beside him was an angel. She was dressed in all white, so it wasn’t that much of a reach.

Giving his mind a few seconds to clear, he realized he was in a hospital room.

“There you go,” the nurse said, a smile on her face. “You were out for days, Hon. I was wondering what it would take to wake you up.”

“Wh- Who’re you?” Dan asked. His throat felt so dry, he could barely speak.

“I’m your nurse. My name is Nancy,” she replied, pressing a button to sit Dan up a bit. She brought him a cup of water with a straw, and let him take a few sips before setting it back down. “And your name would be?”

“Dan,” he replied. “Dan Howell.”

“Very good. Now Dan, I don’t want to overwhelm you, but I also don’t want you to move around a lot. You have a broken leg, some bruised ribs, a pretty nasty cut to the head, and defensive wounds on sixty percent of your body. You put up a hell of a fight, it seems.”

“I’m, um… I’m not dead?” He said, the words coming out as more of a question than a statement.

Nancy smiled. “Not on my watch.”

“What happened?” Dan asked.

“Your friend’s a good runner,” she replied. 

“Wh- What about…  _ him?”  _ He asked, bile rising in his throat.

Nancy placed a hand on her hip, “I’m not supposed to say anything. I’m supposed to let the police know when you wake up and let them talk to you.”

Dan took a deep, achy breath, “I won’t tell if you won’t,” he said, giving her a little smile. It was the most he could do right now.

She rolled her eyes. “What the hell, right? I’m nearly seventy years old. What are they gonna do? Force me to retire?”

She pulled up a chair and sat down. “From what I’ve heard, and I can’t confirm a thing, you used to write online about yourself?”

Dan nodded slowly.

“Well, he read it and a fascination with you grew, I suppose.”

“Wh… Why Phil though?”

“Wrong place at the wrong time.”

Dan laid his head back against his pillow, staring up at the ceiling. “Is he dead?”

“Phil?”

“No… Him. The man.”

“I believe his name was Gary. And, yes, from what I overheard he did not let himself get taken in by the police.”

Dan closed his eyes and took a couple of slow, deep breaths. He honestly still wasn’t sure if he was alive or not. Maybe this is what the afterlife was. A continuation of what you hope happened at the moment you died.

“Is Phil okay?” Dan asked. Even if he was dead, he’d still like to know.

“He was released two days ago. Unfortunately, he refuses to leave the hospital until he knows you’re alright.”

Dan quickly looked over at her. “He’s here?”

“He’s down the hall in the waiting room. He’s asked for updates that I can’t give to him every couple of hours. Your family has been here as well, by the way. They took a moment to go to their hotel and rest, but they’ll be back later.”

“C- Can I see Phil, please?”

Nancy stood up, moving to check Dan’s IV’s. “You two aren’t supposed to see each other until the police have had a chance to speak with you both.”

Dan sighed.  _ “Please,” _ he begged. “I won’t tell if you won’t tell, remember?”

She shook her head, but smiled down at him. Her dark brown eyes reminded him of his grandma. He barely knew her, but she was so comforting to be around, so warm. He hoped she’d be his nurse until the moment he left this place, even if that was unreasonable. 

“If anyone asks, you haven’t woken up yet,” she said, pointing a finger at him. 

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied with a smile.

She left out of the room, and Dan took a moment to adjust himself the best he could so he didn’t look like a complete trainwreck.

He realized that was a bad idea when pain shot through his body. 

He closed his eyes again, allowing himself a few moments to catch his breath and letting the pain relieve itself.

“Dan?” A voice- a very familiar voice- said.

Dan’s eyes shot open, and he stared across the room at a face he had never seen, but he felt like he knew by heart.

“Phil?” 

Phil nodded. He slowly moved forward, until he was standing at Dan’s bedside. “I… How are you?”

“I’m alive,” Dan replied. “At least, I think I am.”

God, he couldn’t take his eyes off of this man. The man who had saved his life, in many more ways than one. 

Phil seemed to have the same issue. They stared at each other like they couldn’t believe the person in front of them was really there.

“How are you?” Dan asked.

“I’m good. Alive too, I hope.” 

After a few seconds of silence, Phil suddenly stuck out a hand for Dan to shake, causing Dan to break eye contact. He looked at the hand, surprised by the action, before lifting his own up and returning the shake. 

Now that he was holding Phil’s hand, he never wanted to let it go. It was like a lifeline. The only thing making this all feel real. The only thing making him feel alive.

“It’s, um… It’s nice to meet you,” Phil said, a small smile on his lips.

Dan couldn’t help but smile back at him. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween, guys!! Wow! Can't believe October is almost over. Time to start Christmas shopping, am I right??
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely comments throughout the story (and for sticking with me through October)!
> 
> tumblr: softgolftechniques


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